Sizing



"PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR I1. SPICER, OF SOUTH WILLINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

SIZING.

No Drawing.

This invention relates to sizing compounds, sized materials and themethod of preparing the same.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved composition for asizing which does not stiffen the material to'which it is applied.

Sizing prepared in accordance with this invention has properties adaptedparticularly for use in sizing soft cotton thread of the type ordinarilyused by manufacturers in making up cotton articles. Soft thread isgenerally considered more preferable than the harder or stifler thread,in that it produces a better appearance and has better workingqualities. One of the usual objections to the soft thread is that it hasa fuzz on its surface which when drawn through the eye of a sewingmachine needle or similar apparatus comes off and accumulates, cloggingthe guide way or apertures through which the thread is run so that thethread may become wedged and break. This fuzz which is merely the loosefibers projecting from the main body of the thread, also, producesconsiderable friction which wears the thread considerably, and for thatreason also it is objectionable. It is, accordingly, an object of theinvention to provide a sizing for the thread which causes the greaterpart of the fibers or fuzz to lie flat on the thread without adding tothe stiffness of the thread. This sizing also makes the thread freerrunning in the eye of a needle than the thread would be naturally. Afurther object is to provide a soft sized cotton thread.

The invention, accordingly, consists in the combinations of elements,the steps and processes by which they are combined, and the finishedarticle, all of which will be exemplified in the embodiment hereinafterset forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated inthe appended claims.-

The preferred manner in which I prepare this sizing is as follows:

To make a convenient sized batch I take 10 lbs. of wax and cover it withwater and boil it thoroughly. Preferably I use white wax flakes whichmay be pure paraffin or its equivalent. To this boiled mixture I thenadd 6 lbs. of oil and boil this in with the wax. The oil which I findbest for this purpose is cocoanut oil. Boiling these ingredients forms asort of emulsion. I then Application filed July 23,

1923. Serial No. 653,377.

take 3 lbs. of starch such as, for instance,

unrefined pearl starch, mix it with cold water so as to dissolve itthroughly, and add this dissolved starch to the boiled mixture of waxflakes and cocoanut oil and bring the combination to a boil. The starchprevents the separation of the wax and oil from the water and produces amore homogeneous mixture. Other forms of starch may be used if desired,the one mentioned being cheap and performing its functions in a verysatisfactory manner.

To size the thread I take a quantity of the sizing prepared as abovedescribed, and draw the soft cotton thread therethrough, thereafterallowing the thread to dry. The effect produced on the thread is verybeneficial. This size does not stiffen the thread appreciably, but itdoes cause the fibers to lie flat and makes the thread free running;that is to say, it will not catch in guides through which it is drawn,and the fuzz will not rub off.

As many changes could be made in the above composition and many,apparently, widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it being intended that allmatter contained in'the above description shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe invention herein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention which as a matter of language might be said to falltherebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. A sizing for cotton thread and the like, comprising. in combination,paraffin wax, cocoanut oil and starch substantially in the proportionsstated.

2.. A sizing for cotton thread and the like, comprising, in combination,paraffin wax, cocoanut oil and starch substantially in the proportionsof ten pounds of paraflin wax, six pounds of cocoanut oil, three poundsof starch, and water.

3. A method of preparing sizing for cotton thread and the likecomprising boilingparaffin wax with water. adding cocoanut oil theretoand boiling with the wax flakes, and thereafter adding to the boiled waxflakes and cocoanut 'oil starch in Water and boiling the mixture.

4. A method of pre aring sizing for cotton thread and the li e fromparaifinwax, cocoanut oil and starch, substantially in the proportionsof 10 lbs. of wax, 6 lbs. of

5 cocoanut oil, and 3 lbs. of starch, which includes covering the waxflakes with water and boiling thoroughly adding the cocoanut oil theretoand boiling w1th the wax flakes, then adding the starch in cold waterand boiling the mixture. i 10 5. Cotton thread sized with an emulsioncomprisin paraflin wax, cocoanut oil and starch and water compounded inthe proportions stated.

ARTHUR L. SPICER.

